Veterinary Medicine - June 2008 - (Page c13)

Monitoring diabetes mellitus in diabetic cats Hospitalized blood glucose curves When I perform curves with a hospitalized cat, I prefer to have the client feed the cat at home and to administer the insulin at the hospital (after the time 0 glucose concentration is determined). O er the cat additional food throughout the day, and obtain blood glucose samples two, four, six, eight, 10, and 12 hours later, if time permits. Alternatively, the client feeds and administers the insulin at home following the routine schedule, then drops o both the cat and its food for the day. Then take blood glucose samples two, four, six, eight, 10, and 12 hours after insulin administration. The latter scenario is occasionally what happens in my hospital if the client routinely administers the insulin one to two hours prior to the hospital opening. To keep things simple, I strive for minimal disruption of the client’s and cat’s routine. Figures 1a to 1d explain how to take a sample for a blood glucose curve. Utilizing the lateral ear vein has dramatically reduced the stress my in-clinic patients undergo. My sta and I can obtain a sample in the cage, while the cat is eating or sleeping, or while it is held on a lap. I use a 25-ga needle and nd that warming and shaving the ear rst are usually not necessary. I do not use an alcohol swab because the cats seem to dislike the odor and it adds additional time to the sampling. The advantages of hospitalized blood glucose curves include: 1. You can conduct a physical exam, including determining the cat’s weight. 2. You can observe the owner administering the insulin (this is of paramount importance early in the course of treatment). 3. Trained personnel obtain the samples with minimal disturbance to the cat. 4. You can observe the cat during its stay, Figure 1. How to take a sample for a blood glucose curve. Figure 1a. Identify the lateral ear vein. Figure 1b. Prick the vein with a 25-ga needle. Figure 1c. Wait for the drop of blood to form. Figure 1d. Touch the glucose test strip to the drop of blood. administering glucose intravenously or Karo syrup orally, if necessary. In some cases, accuracy can be the major drawback of the hospitalized blood glucose curve. The blood glucose values in some cats will always be falsely elevated because of excitement and 13

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - June 2008

Veterinary Medicine - June 2008 Contents Leading Off Clinical Exposures Idea Exchange A Challenging Case: Conjunctival Lymphoma in a Cat Updates on Canine Hypoadrenocorticism Product Preview CE Form Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller Clinical Edge - June 2008 Table of Contents Managing Diabetes Mellitus in Cats: What Makes it Work? Porcine Insulin Zinc Suspension in the Management of Feline Diabetes Mellitus Monitoring Diabetes Mellitus in Diabetic Cats Feline Diabetes Mellitus: Important Client Communication Points

Veterinary Medicine - June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.